The ISIS terrorists were trying to occupy Tal Afar Airport in Western Mosul by launching an attack on the Iraqi government's military positions, but they were pushed back by the government troops.

The terrorists intended to force the Iraqi volunteer forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) to withdraw from the suburbs of the city of Tal Afar by occupying the airport, but they failed to do so.

At least 57 ISIL terrorists were killed and many more were wounded in clashes with Iraq's government troops.

In a relevant development on Wednesday, the Iraqi Forces continued their advances in the Western part of the city of Mosul in Nineveh province and seized back a strategic district.

"The Iraqi forces are now in full control of al-Ma'arez district in Western Mosul as they have purged terrorists from the area," the Arabic-language media quoted an unnamed military source as saying on Tuesday.

He went on to say that the retaking of al-Ma'arez district comes as Commander of Iraq's Counterterrorism Department Abdul Ghani al-Assadi announced last Thursday that the second phase of the Mosul liberation operation had started.

Also on Tuesday, it was announced that the Iraqi Army is using advanced drones to monitor the movements of the ISIL terrorists and locate their military positions in the city of Mosul.

"We are using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to monitor the ISIL's movements and the Iraqi Federal Police's artillery units target and hit the ISIS military positions afterwards," the Arabic-language media quoted senior Iraqi police commander Heydar Abdul Mahdi as saying.

Also on Monday, the Iraqi army forces bombed the ISIL strongholds in Northern Mosul in a bid to cut off the Tel Kef supply line.

The Iraqi troops hit three ISIL checkpoints along the Tel Kef road in Northern Mosul city, using heavy artillery. The shelling led to the destruction of the ISIL security checkpoints and the death of several ISIL militants, ARA News quoted an unnamed military source as saying.

The Tel Kef road is considered one of the main supply lines for the ISIL militants to support their operations against the Iraqi forces in Northern Mosul.

Also on Sunday, Commander of Nineveh Liberation Operation General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah disclosed that the Iraqi military forces have continued their advances in the city of Mosul and seized back two more districts.

"The Younes al-Sabawi and Yafa districts are now under the Iraqi forces' control," General Yarallah said.

Several ISIL terrorists were killed and wounded in tough battle with Iraq's joint military forces.

Iraq's joint military forces killed a senior ISIL commander in charge of coordinating the suicide bombers and transferring explosives in Diyala in Northern Salahuddin province.

"Al-Malah, senior ISIL commander, and his companion were killed by the Iraqi forces in Diyala province on Saturday," the Arabic-language media quoted the source as saying.

He reiterated that Al-Malah and one of his men were killed near Hamreen lake located 58 kilometers to the Northeast of Baquba while their boat was also destroyed.

"Al-Malah was important because he was responsible for the direct transfer of the suicide bombers and explosives between the two flanks on the banks of Hamreen lake for the ISIS terrorist group," the source added.

The ISIL terrorist group has stirred up violence in the areas near Hamreen lake.

Meantime, the Iraqi forces pushed back the ISIL terrorists who were trying to penetrate into Jabal Mahkoul region in Northern Salahuddin province, killing at least 20 of them, FNA reported.

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